2015 Volkswagen Golf Sportswagen Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2015 Volkswagen Golf Sportswagen, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Airbags225.0%
- Electrical225.0%
- Body & structure112.5%
- Exterior lighting112.5%
- Seat belts112.5%
- Visibility112.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
AT 39K MILES, WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, A CLICKING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, THEN WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE AIRBAG AND TRANSMISSION WITH THE CAR'S DISPLAY SAYING NOT TO DRIVE IT. SOME RESEARCH AND TESTING REVEAL THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE STEERING WHEEL (INCLUDING AIRBAG, HORN, AND ALL CONTROLS MOUNTED THERE) AND THE CAR HAS BEEN SEVERED. A PART CALLED THE 'CLOCK SPRING' HAS FAILED UNDER NORMAL USE. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED ON THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR VWS AND THE NHTSA HAS OR HAD AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS VERY ISSUE, BUT ONLY 2010-2014 MODEL YEAR CARS. AS A CONSEQUENCE THE AIRBAG AND HORN ARE NOT WORKING. VW SO FAR SAYS THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR IS OVER $500. FOR A PART THAT SHOULD ALMOST NEVER FAIL. IT IS A POOR DESIGN, AND A KNOWN ISSUE ACROSS THEIR MODEL LINE. VW SHOULD COVER THIS. THE LIABILITY ISSUES IF SOMEBODY GETS HURT DUE TO THE FAILED CLOCK SPRING AND DE-ACTIVATED DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG.
WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION, ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENT BUTTONS CONNECTED TO THE STEERING WHEEL, INCLUDING THE HORN STOPPED WORKING AND THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT WENT ON , ALONG WITH TRANSMISSION SENSOR ERROR. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY IDENTIFIED THE CLOCKSPRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
AT 39K MILES, WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, A CLICKING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, THEN WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE AIRBAG AND TRANSMISSION WITH THE CAR'S DISPLAY SAYING NOT TO DRIVE IT. SOME RESEARCH AND TESTING REVEAL THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE STEERING WHEEL (INCLUDING AIRBAG, HORN, AND ALL CONTROLS MOUNTED THERE) AND THE CAR HAS BEEN SEVERED. A PART CALLED THE 'CLOCK SPRING' HAS FAILED UNDER NORMAL USE. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED ON THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR VWS AND THE NHTSA HAS OR HAD AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS VERY ISSUE, BUT ONLY 2010-2014 MODEL YEAR CARS. AS A CONSEQUENCE THE AIRBAG AND HORN ARE NOT WORKING. VW SO FAR SAYS THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR IS OVER $500. FOR A PART THAT SHOULD ALMOST NEVER FAIL. IT IS A POOR DESIGN, AND A KNOWN ISSUE ACROSS THEIR MODEL LINE. VW SHOULD COVER THIS. THE LIABILITY ISSUES IF SOMEBODY GETS HURT DUE TO THE FAILED CLOCK SPRING AND DE-ACTIVATED DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG.
WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION, ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENT BUTTONS CONNECTED TO THE STEERING WHEEL, INCLUDING THE HORN STOPPED WORKING AND THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT WENT ON , ALONG WITH TRANSMISSION SENSOR ERROR. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY IDENTIFIED THE CLOCKSPRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
LEAKING PANORAMIC SUNROOF CAUSES MOISTURE AND MOLD ON THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. HAPPENED IN THE RAIN WHEN PARKED AND DRIVING.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN I WAS DRIVING I PARKED GOT SOMETHING TO EAT AND WHEN I GOT BACK IN THE CAR I HEARD THIS WEIRD NOISE AND I PUT IT IN REVERSE AND THE REVERSE LIGHTS WOULDN'T WORK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
I OWN A 2015 AND MY BACK SEATBELT HAS FAILED. IT WILL NOT LATCH. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED IT WOULD BE $120 CHARGE JUST TO DIAGNOSE AND SEE WHAT IS WRONG BEFORE REPLACING OR FIXING THE SEATBELT. AFTER THAT CHARGE HE COULDN'T SAY IF IT WOULD BE UNDER WARRANTY OR THE COST TO FIX IT. I AM NOTIFYING YOU OF THIS FAILURE AND COST BECAUSE THIS SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE EVALUATED FOR NO COST DUE TO THE HIGH CONCERN FOR SAFETY. I FEEL VOLKSWAGEN IS PUTTING MONEY BEFORE SAFETY. THE DEALERSHIP I CONTACTED WAS LARRY MILLER IN LAKEWOOD CO.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
LEAKING PANORAMIC SUNROOF CAUSES MOISTURE AND MOLD ON THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. HAPPENED IN THE RAIN WHEN PARKED AND DRIVING.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .